Interactive: Sacramento's most generous neighborhoods

By Phillip Reese - preese@sacbee.com

Sacramento-area residents gave more than $1 billion to churches and charities each year during 2011 and 2012, but some communities donated significantly more of their incomes than others, the latest IRS data show.

Residents living close to poverty tend to give a greater proportion of their income than communities with much wealth.

Households in South Sacramento (95823) earning more than $50,000 gave about 3 percent of their gross income to charity and churches, among the highest rates in the region. So did residents in Rosemont (95826) and western Rancho Cordova (95827).

By comparison, residents earning more than $50,000 in El Dorado Hills (95762) and east Sacramento (95816 and 95819) gave about 2 percent of their gross income to churches and charities, among the lowest rates in the region.

This map shows the proportion of gross income given by residents of each ZIP code to charity in 2011 and 2012. It includes only households earning more than $50,000 that itemize deductions on their tax forms. (Those households are responsible for the vast majority of giving. Most households earning more than $50,000 itemize deductions. It's not possible to determine charitable giving for those who do not itemize.)

Note: Charitable giving often correlates to church attendance. Nationwide, for instance, Utah residents often tithe to the Mormon faith and, by far, give the highest proportion of their incomes to churches and charities, IRS figures show. The IRS does not distinguish between gifts to churches and secular charities.Source: Internal Revenue Service